10/22/10 Results received from the Indiana Department of Education show that the Plymouth Schools are fairing extremely well in making academic growth from year to year.

 According to Dan Tyree, superintendent of Plymouth Schools, the state used to identify the progress made in each school system in the state by using the ISTEP (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress) scores and simply noting those that passed, failed, or passed +. Now, the state is taking a more comprehensive look at the individual scores of each child tested and tracking how much growth they have achieved each year.

 Tyree said that an increase of 35 percent signifies a growth of one year and a 65 percent increase shows a growth of two years.

 After the scores were complied for the ISTEP tests given in the spring of 2010, the Plymouth Schools scored at a median growth of 58 percent in mathematics. There were 1,600 students tested and 87 percent of those passed.

 Percentages of growth in mathematics for each school in the Plymouth corporation are as follows: Jefferson Elementary, 117 tested with 82.9 percent passing and 48 percent median growth; Lincoln Junior High, 552 tested with 86.2 percent passing and a median growth of 61 percent; Menominee Elementary, 141 tested with 91.5 percent passing and a 69  median percent growth; Riverside Intermediate, 512 tested with a 86.5 percent passing a median growth of 48 percent; Washington Elementary,148 tested with  82.4 percent passing and a median growth of  89 percent, and Webster Elementary, 130 tested with 96.2 percent passing and a median growth of 75.1 percent.

 There were similar scores reported in English Language Arts. Corporation wide there were 1596 students tested with 81 percent passing for a median growth of 59 percent.

Schools in the corporation achieved the following: Jefferson Elementary, 117 tested with 91.5 percent passing for a median growth of 59.5 percent ; Lincoln Junior High, 550 tested with 76.2 percent passing for a median growth of 54 percent; Menominee Elementary, 141 tested with 87.2 percent passing for a median growth of 60.5 percent; Riverside Intermediate, 511 tested with 77.7 percent passing for a median growth of 63 percent; Washington Elementary, 148 tested with 84.5 percent passing for a median growth of 53 percent; and Webster Elementary, 129 tested with 94.6 percent passing for a median growth of 66 percent.

 The Plymouth School Board reviewed the results at their meeting on October 14.

 Carol Anders Correspondent